Motorcycle Industry is Doomed

[Ceri JC]

Originally Posted by ph0rk

Does a bike need to send out light in a 360 degree cone in front of it, or does it need to send out light a little on the ground, more in a straight line, and a bit to the sides, with more light on the right side than the left?

Some funky winged wedge looking thing would seem to be the best reflector setup for that design goal.

I get what you're saying, but bear in mind over a third of the people in the world drive on the left. Any touring bike that will be crossing multiple borders really needs a symmetric headlight IMO. One of the things I like about bikes over cars for tours is that there's no "wrong side of the road" penalty. Try driving a Right-side Drive car in a country where they drive on the right (or vice versa) and aside from really struggling to see properly at junctions, you'll have to attach ugly temporary stickers to screen off your lights to prevent blinding other driver and your headlights will tend to be less effect than a native model of the same car as a result.

[Ceri JC]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

The W650 shot down that theory... But I do hope you are right.

http://motorcycles.about.com/od/hond...-a-Classic.htm

Only guy I knew well who rode one was the guy who taught the motocycle maintenance nightclass I went to. He was a proper hardened old biker; was riding 30-40k ever year, including through winter in the snow and ice, into his late 60s. He liked all bikes; Indians and 60s Brit twins especially, but he also had a first gen R1!

He had a shedload of bikes new and old, but his main ride was his a W650. Main reason was "it feels and looks like my old Triumphs, but it's reliable enough for my 300 mile a day commute." I am glad they made the bike as he liked it and it made him happy. What percentage of people in the bike buying public have any real need/desire for something like that though? I suppose my cousin commutes a fair bit on his early 70s Triumph Tiger, but that's not high miles at all and for him, it's the appeal of it being a genuine old bike that he likes.

[Josephvman]

Yes, but you'll get all the body and blood of Christ you can eat, and how do you put a number on that?

Originally Posted by ColonelDibsies

Im going to be a pastor, if I ever make above 40k in my life, ill be surprised. but ill ride right there with ya until i can't

[DOGSROOT]

Originally Posted by Josephvman

Yes, but you'll get all the body and blood of Christ you can eat, and how do you put a number on that?

Oh shit, that's priceless!
.
.
.

[atomicalex]

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

Any touring bike that will be crossing multiple borders really needs to be equipped with a modern headlamp with a switchable pattern shutter.

Fixed that for you. Right-left shutters are available on quite a few cars sold in Europe, for exactly that reason.

[ph0rk]

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

I get what you're saying, but bear in mind over a third of the people in the world drive on the left. Any touring bike that will be crossing multiple borders really needs a symmetric headlight IMO. One of the things I like about bikes over cars for tours is that there's no "wrong side of the road" penalty. Try driving a Right-side Drive car in a country where they drive on the right (or vice versa) and aside from really struggling to see properly at junctions, you'll have to attach ugly temporary stickers to screen off your lights to prevent blinding other driver and your headlights will tend to be less effect than a native model of the same car as a result.

A light array that puts out as much light to both sides will be blinding to oncoming drivers and unsafe, even if it is on a bike.


there are few enough countries that drive on the wrong side, though.

Originally Posted by atomicalex

Fixed that for you. Right-left shutters are available on quite a few cars sold in Europe, for exactly that reason.

I like that solution, it beats just having a shitty light or a light that blinds people, that's for sure.

[DOGSROOT]

Originally Posted by ph0rk

there are few enough countries that drive on the wrong side, though.

I'd be careful w/ that assumption.

164 countries use RHT, and 76 LHT, which is 33.6%

In addition,by POP, it's is 33.9% that are LHT.

Not exactly insignificant, especially in terms of market share.

Here ya go:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_...t-hand_traffic
.
.
.

[Vertical C]

There is a big logic fail in that sales are down because of pussification of generation Y....

1. Bikes are reliable, you dont need to be able to rebuild them anymore.
2. Bikes don't have kickstarts anymore.
3. Gear is so good that you don't have to get wet or cold anymore.

So you don't really need to be a hard ass anymore (but don't let that out).

[thomas.tc.young]

Dunno what you guys are arguing about headlights and side of the road to drive on. Back to the OP comment, I'm a gen Y (b 1990) never bought a new motorcycle but that's because their too darn expensive (relatively) considering I picked up all the bikes in my sig for maybe 2000. I think the cheapest honda is about 4k, rebel or some 250. I have friends who ride but wrenching is different. Two are mechanically inept beyond checking tire pressure. One is decent and is considering buying new. We all use it as our primary transportation. One was bike less for a while and though working full time didn't want to go for financing. I think it's more of a motivational thing, they wait for things to be convent rather then going out and doing even if their alone.

[ph0rk]

Originally Posted by DOGSROOT

I'd be careful w/ that assumption.

164 countries use RHT, and 76 LHT, which is 33.6%

In addition,by POP, it's is 33.9% that are LHT.

Not exactly insignificant, especially in terms of market share.

Here ya go:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_...t-hand_traffic
.
.
.

Yup:



Looks like plenty of red land to me.

Seems like a minor enough concern in terms of land mass. As I said before, it is important enough to argue against simple round headlights. However, it is not something every rider needs to deal with. If you're plotting a red/blue trip, you know who you are and what you're getting in to (or should).

Originally Posted by thomas.tc.young

Dunno what you guys are arguing about headlights and side of the road to drive on. Back to the OP comment, I'm a gen Y (b 1990) never bought a new motorcycle but that's because their too darn expensive (relatively) considering I picked up all the bikes in my sig for maybe 2000. I think the cheapest honda is about 4k, rebel or some 250. I have friends who ride but wrenching is different. Two are mechanically inept beyond checking tire pressure. One is decent and is considering buying new. We all use it as our primary transportation. One was bike less for a while and though working full time didn't want to go for financing. I think it's more of a motivational thing, they wait for things to be convent rather then going out and doing even if their alone.

Just because motorbikes used to be so unreliable they turned riders into mechanics doesn't mean those that have no interest in wrenching when they don't have to are somehow lesser people. There is only so much time in the day, and like many, I only wrench myself when I have financial constraints, otherwise it is well worth it to have it done for me while I read. Modern bikes can be as reliable as modern cars, and that's great.

[Hawk62cj5]

Dang crazy British Colonies .

[ColonelDibsies]

http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...,7904379.story

Good news, not doomed! Yay!

[Thanantos]

Well that's a relief : D

Sent from my M9300 using Tapatalk 2

[Kevin Moore]

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/0...riders-beware/

And yes, I used "shocking" very sarcastically. I'm amazed they print this dribble.

[eakins]

disagree.

fun never goes outta fashion & gas prices will only rise.
mfg are changing to adopt to aging riders (Honda dual-clutch auto) and newer rider (more powerful scooters with smaller engines that still get high mpg). maybe the current type of bike will morph, but people still need to get places and transportation is not going away. younger ones who just buy scooters will not forget the fun of it, they'll buy bigger ones to travel farther as they get older and still get great mpg.